Signal



May 23, 1944. J. F. KEPLER SIGNAL Filed Dec. 31,' 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 w l l May 23-, 1944. J. F. KEPLER SIGNAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 3LT 1940 May 23, 1944.

J. FL KEPLER 2,349,355

SIGNAL 7 Filed Dec. 31, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 23, 1944. J. F. KEPLER SIGNAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 31,: 1940 signalling apparatus.

traflic condition period -to which it pertains.

Patented May 23, 1944 UNITED PAT ENT G'FFICE SIGNAL John F. Kepler,=fChicago,-lll.

Application December 31, 194.0, Serial No.;3'72,587

2 Claims.

This invention has to do'with traffic control More particularly it, relates to an improved signaltogether with control means whereby tr'afflcwas that upon city streets or upon highways is signalled .to stop and go and is given anexact indication of when the signal will. change.

An object of the present inventionistheprovision of a new traiiic signal wherein there are a plurality of visual-signal issuing portions which are caused to manifest theirsignals of respective .tralfic conditions in predetermined-sequence,. and wherein there is also means forgradually-jdiminishing the'manifesting area of :such signal issuingportions during signalsmaniiestationias a simple expedient of informing an observerhow much of thesignal period. remains.

Another object ,ioithis/invention is the-:pro

vision of a .trafiicisignal device having an-opadue mask or shield gradually -'-movable across aasig, nal lensto diminish'the visibleilluminated area thereof whereby an observer can accurately ascertain when the lenswill-become completely blanked simultaneously- 'with termination oft'he Another object of this invention is the provision, in a traflic-signal device, of a signal *dial in which there are sequentially energized signal issuing sections arrangedcircumferentiallyabout the dial face and ashieldpivoted at the fdialcen dial in which there is a; novel arrangement, of. :dial sections respectively pertaining to .stop

and fgo for vehicular trailic and"walkW-for pedestrian traflic.

Another object is the provision inca traiiic regulation system, of a camera placed under control of an electric circuit :energizedjointlyiby a vehicle actuatedcircuit closing means andicir- .cuit closing 1 means awhichis aenabled ronlyxduring energizationaof the .fstopW-section of the traffic signal apparatus, 1 whereby a vehicle :will be: pho-I .togi'aphed while passing contrary :to: a' stop signal.

Another object .is the provisi'onwf trafilc' slignalling apparatus as'recited in the foregoing ob- ;..ject,;: embodying m'eans 'for -energizing subject' illuminating means simultaneously with operation :of" the camera.

Another object'is theprovisionof traffic control apparatuses the above in which electrically ;.controlled means .ispresent for conditioning the camera .fora succeeding exposure and. likewise for I conditioning the subject illuminating means .preparatoryzto functioning simultaneously with a succeedingphotographic operation.

A further object is the provision of a warning sound signal in circuit with the aforesaid jointly energizedcirouit to .audibly notify a vehicle operator when, he drives in violation of a 'StODSignaI.

-A further object is the provision of a new .--shield member movable across and into registration with a signal light.

Astill .further .object is the-provision of an improved road bed. switch having delayed action --so=that a.single picture will be taken of a vehicle passing over'the same with continuous movement ,but whereby a second picture will be taken, when -the back wheels. of the vehicle operate the switch,

in the event the vehicle comes to rest with the switch between thefront and back Wheels while the stop signal isoperating.

These and other desirable objects inherent to and encompassed by this invention will later ap- In the drawings: Fig.1 is a front elevational View of a traffic signal device constructed according to the principles of the invention;

.Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially ,upon the line 2-2 .of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is :a vertical, sectional view taken forwardly substantially upon the line 33 of.Fig. 2;

2Fig.14.is-a wiring diagram. of the device and zclontrolacircuits;

:Fig. 5 is: a perspective viewof astreetintersection illustrating a typicalinstallation of the devices; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a modified form of light shield for the device.

With the exception of certaincontrol circuits and a road bed switch for closing the same, all

subsequentlydescribed herein, the apparatus is enclosed by a housing ll) supported as upon a 4 standard H Figs. i and 5,-inany customary man- -=ner. For instance, the housing Hi may be suspended atanydesired pos'itionover a street or *street intersection by supporting-meansfsuch as 1 cross arms or cables.

Theembodiment hereinillustra-ted,toeXpedite a clear comprehension of the invention,-has but a 'single viewing or signal face, referred toas the front face,'although it will be understood that i any additional number of -faces may :be provided I with signal indicating means.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2-and 3, the housing it! which is Substantially square in horizontal section has a front wall I2 and an upright corner frame member I 3 at each of its back corners, one of these corner members being shown in Fig. 2. The back wall and the two side walls are open, the back wall opening i4 being normally closed by a door 15 secured to one of the frame members l3 by hinges l6, whereas the left wall opening I1, Fig. 3, is closed by a door l8 upon hinges I9, and the right wall opening 29 is closed by a door 2| mounted upon hinge 22. The stationary part of the hinges l9 and 22 are attached to opposite edges of the front wall I2. A generally arcuate top wall 23 covers the housing.

A circular indicator face or dial 24 comprising segmental indicator sections 25, 26, 21 and 28 is mounted in the front wall 12. These sections respectively bear the words Stop, Walk, Go and Walk" and include translucent sheets or lenses of such material as colored glass upon which said words appear. According to conventional practice the translucent material bearing the word Stop will be colored red so that when a light is flashed behind it this section of the signal face 24 will issue a red light to an observer. The translucent material bearing the word Go will be stained or colored green so that when a light is flashed behind it this section of the face 24 will appear green to the observer. Sections 26 and 28 preferably appear white to the observer so that the sheets of translucent material upon which the words Walk appear will be frosted or otherwise suitably processed to give the desired effect. Means, presently to be described, is employed in the device for periodically and successively energizing the sections 25, 2E, 21 and 28 in rotation, and, while this order of rotation may be either clockwise or counterclockwise, I prefer to cause their energization in the clockwisse order as viewed in Fig. l wherefore following energization of the section 25, section 26 will be energized, then section 21, then section 28, then section 25, and so on. Each section is deenergized substantially coincident with energization of the next.

I employ in conjunction with the signal sections as 25 a sector-like shield member 29 which is carried upon and rotated clockwise by a shaft 30. This shield member 29 extends circumferentially about the dial 24 a distance at least as great as the circumferential distance of the sections 25 and 21 to enable it to completely mask any of the dial sections. Said shaft 30 and the shield 29 are rotated clockwise by means presently to be described, and in synchronism with the means for causing energization or illumination of the dial indicating sections as 25. Such synchronization between the rotation of the shield 29 and energization of the dial indicating sections is such that each of the sections as 25 will be energized simultaneously with the leading edge 31 of the shield arriving at the approach edge as 32 of said sections. Energization of each section as 25 continues while the leading edge 3| of the shield advances thereover, the traffic condition designated by the particular dial section continuing so long as any part remains uncovered by the shield. Although this condition of the traffic will terminate simultaneously with complete coverage or masking of the dial section, an observer in traffic will be able to accurately estimate the termination or change in trafllc condition by observing the size of the uncovered energized sector and the rate at which its area is being diminished.

When the shield 29 completely covers a dial section, that section is deenergized and the next section is energized, the shield continuing in its movement and gradually covering the newly energized section, and so on about the dial, each dial section being energized by illumination and immediately being slowly traversed by the shield so that an observer can accurately determine when the traflic condition indicated by that particular section will terminate.

The shield 29 carries adjacently to the juncture of its leading edge 3| and its outer arcuate edge 33 an electric light bulb 34 visible through a small opening 35 in a casing 36 and in current carrying relation with a socket portion 31 to which electric energy is supplied through a conductor pair within a cable 38. The manner in which electric energy is impressed upon the conductors in the cables 38 will be described presently, although it is pointed out at this time that the indicator bulb 34 is lighted at all times during operation of the device to assist pedestrians and vehicle operators in gauging the position of the leading edge 3| upon the shield member 29. A hoop-like strip 39 attached to the shield 29 in spaced relation from its edge reinforces the same and also prevents the passage of light rays from the indicator lamp 34 onto the dial 24.

In the upper part of the housing 10 I provide a camera 40 shown in dotted outline in Fig. 1. The objective lens 4| of the camera projects outwardly through an opening 42a in the housing front wall l2. An electromagnet 42 for controlling said camera is energizable pursuant to the closing of a roadway switch 43 of which a barlike actuator member 44 is shown in Fig. 5. Circult closing means, later to be described and operating synchronously with the energizing means for the dial sections as 25, must be conditioned concurrently with actuation of the switch bar 44 to enable such actuation to energize the electromagnet 42, and said circuit closing means is conditioned only while the "stop section 25 is energized. Therefore vehicles may pass over the bar 44 without energizing the electromagnet 42 excepting during energization of said stop section. The energized electromagnet 42 manipu lates the camera shutter to cause a picture to be taken wherefore a vehicle passing over the bar 44 while the stop section is energized will .be photographed. Said electromagnet 42 further controls the flashing of the one of several photoflash bulbs 45 carried in a rotatable frame 46 that is in registry with an opening 41 in the casing front wall, concurrently with the exposure period of the camera shutter, so that adequate illumination will be had of the photographed subject. Means all fully described hereinafter is operable by the electromagnet 42 for rotating the frame 46 for placing a new bulb 45 in registry with the opening 41 after the taking of each picture, and also for winding the film advancing mechanism of the camera and re-cocking the camera shutter.

Means in the form of a siren, horn, bell or other auxiliary signal device, indicated generally at 48 is also controlled by the electromagnet 42 so that the vehicle operator who has run through the red light and therefore operated the switch bar 44 will be warned of his trafilc violation.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the front wall I2 is shown to have a circular opening 49 through which the dial 24 is visible. Said opening 49 is provided with a sun shade member 50 of conventional design. The visible-signal indicatdicator light 34, Fig. 1. and T2 are carried upon the shafttt by insulator ing part of the device comprises a casing El of which the bottom wall BW is substantially square and has at its corners four short legs which are fastened to the standard H by machine screws The front and back walls 52 -and'53 of the casing 5| are also substantially square wheredial into close fitting relation with the edge o'f-the opening 49.

dial 24 may be withdrawn from the housing I91 The entire casing including the for inspection or repair after removal of .the screws 'M. Said casing 5| is divided internally by a plurality of radially disposed partition walls 55, 56, 51 and 58, which coincide with thediv'idlng lines between the signal sections 25, 26, '21

and 28. These partition walls as together with the dial sectors disposed therebetween and the portions of the back wall 53 behind such dial sectors form compartments fromwhich lightcannot escape.

partments. Lamp sockets 53 of any conventional type are mounted upon'the rear wall 53, said sockets projecting inwardly through wall openings 64 and being attached to small cover therewith for supplying electric energytoits asa sociated bulbas 62.

The aforementioned shaft 33 which carries the light shield member 29 upon its front end-is suitably journalledupcn bearing members 69 and l0 respectively'at the center of the dialfitandin a-central portion of the rear wall 53. Said shaft 30 is hollow and thus receives a section 'of the cable 38' for supplying electrical energy to the im A pair of slip rings H ringslB and I l and connection is made respectively with these slip rings by conductors 15 and '16 of the cabled? which pass outwardly of the shaft- 39 through apertures TI and it. Electric energy is'fed to the slip-rings H and 12 through brushes l9 and 8t which are mounted upon an insulator block Ell suitably attached to the casing rear wall 53.

The shaft 39 is driven froma speed reducing mechanism-82 which in turn is driven by an electric motor lit. That section of the'shaft St) between the casing rear wall and the speed reducer 82 carries an electrical conductor slip ring 84 suitably insulated from said shaft by a flanged sleeve 85. The electric energy supplied to the slip ringii l'by a brush (it carried upon an insulator support 8'5 is impressed upon arotary distributor arm 88 having an end section which has contact with a distributor disk 83 that is fixed to the casing rear wall-53. This disk 89 comprises a body-9i! of insulating material in the latter'makes no electrical contact with any of the commutator segments as 9 I.

In Fig. 4 where the parts thus far described areshownschematically, the electric motor B3 is Incandescent light bulbs $9,150, -6l Q and 62 are disposed respectively in said comconnected tocircuit conductors 96 and 91 by lateral conductors es and 99. A switch such 'as a double-pole single-throw switch Hill may be employed for connecting the circuit conductors "96 and 91 with an electric energy supply line comprising conductors NH and I02. Upon theclosing of said switch Hill the motor'83 will begin rotation and drive (at predetermined uniform speed) the speed reducing unit 82 which has a mechanical driving connection-represented by the dotdash line Hi l, with the slip ring 84, with the slip rings H and 12 and with the dial shield 29. That is, the mechanical connection comprising the shaft 30 and represented by the dot-dash line [04 in Fig. l causes the slip ring 84 and the distributor arm 88 to rotate in timed relation with the dial shield 2s. The brush 83 which supplies electric energy to the ring 84 and to the distributor arm 88 is connected with the circuit conductor 57 through a conductor Hi5 so that as the distributor arm 88 rotates clockwise in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 the electric energy of the polarity corresponding to the conductor 91 will first be fed to the segment 9|, then to the segment 94, then to the segment t3 and then to the'segment 92 and so on. While the arm 88 is in engagement with the sector-9|, a circuit will be completed through the conductor 51, the light bulb 82, conductor 53 and a common conductor H16 back to the linefltof opposite polarity, causing energization-of the bulb t2 and hence the section 27 of the indicator dial. in Fig. l it is illustrated that the distributor arm'tfl bears the same relation in terms of rotative position with respect to the'segments as 91 as does the leading edge 3! of the shield 29 with respect to the dial sections as 2-1. It will be seen therefore that when the distributor arm 88first made contact with the commutator segment Bl the leading edge 3! of said shield reached registration with the approach edge Ill! of the go dial sectorill', and that at the time the leading edge of the shield has completely traversed said dial sector to obscure the manifesting character thereof the distributing arm will pass fromengagement with the commutator segment 91 to break the energization circuit for the bulb 52 wherefore this dial sector will become deenerglZed or non-illuminated. Substantially simultaneously, however, the distributor arm Stwill engage the commutator segment 54 to complete a circuit from the conductor 9'5 through the brush 86, the slip ring M, the distributor arm 88, aiconductor W8, the bulb 59, a conductor H19 and thecomrnon conductor I65 to the opposite side of the circuit, causing energization of the bulb 59 and the 'walk dial sector '28. As the leading edge 3| of the shield29 traverses the'dial sector 28, the distributor arm will likewise be traversing the commutator segment'dtl so that at the time the dial sector 28 is completely covered by the shield the distributor arm will break contact with the sector 94 .to deenergize the bulb 59. Next, the distributor arm will engage the commutator segment 93 to complete a circuit through ti, a conductor H2 and the common conductor liltfor energizing said bulb 6 I.

'So long as the switch Hi0 remains closed, the motor fltwill drive-the speed reducing unit 82,

the distributor arm 88 and the dial shield member 29 to cause the indicating sections of said dial to be successively energized and the dial shield to slowly traverse and thus diminish the effective manifesting area of each energized section. The conductors at 95 and 91 are connected directly with the brushes 19 and which engage the slip ring H and 12 for supplying electrical energy through the conductors 15 and 16 to the indicating lamp or bulb 34 upon the shield 29.

The electromagnetic device 42 for controlling the siren and the camera mechanism includes a casing i20 mounted upon and suitably secured to the upper wall 530 oi the casing 5I. A solenoid I2I of the device 42 contains an axially movable armature I22 which is held in the position shown in Fig. 2 by means of a spring I23 when said solenoid is not energized. One end of the spring I23 connected with a fixed pin I24 while the opposite end thereof is connected with a stud I25 depending from the armature I22. When the electromagnet 42 is energized by passing an electric current through the solenoid I2I by means presently to be described, the armature I22 will be acted upon by the resulting magnetic field and thus be moved endwise to the left in Fig. 2.

The right end of the armature I22 is bifurcated and thus receives the lower end of an arm I26 of which ahub I21 is fixed to a shaft I28 having opposite ends journalled within brackets or plates I29 and I30 secured to the casing upper wall 530. Also fixed to the shaft I28 is an arm I3I for tripping an actuating pin I32 for the camera shutter. Another arm, I33, fixed to the shaft I28 as shown in Fig. 3, is pivotally connected with an arm I34 which has in its back end a slot I35 receiving a pin I36 projecting endwise and eccentrically from a film winding and shutter cocking knob I31 of the camera. Still another arm, I38, fixed to the shaft I28, is pivotally connected with a pawl arm I39 which cooperates with a ratchet wheel I40 for advancing the bulb carrier 46 one step after each camera exposure. The connection between the arm I38 and the pawl arm I39 consists of a small bracket I4I suitably secured to the arm I38 and a pivot pin I42 mutually within the bracket and the lower end of the pawl arm. A spring I43 having an end anchored to a bracket I44 depending from the top of the housing I0 yieldingly holds the pawl lever to the left, Fig. 3, with a bearing surface I45 against a tooth of the ratchet wheel I40.

Said bracket I44 has a flange I46 that is secured to the upper housing wall by any standard fastening means as machine screws I41. An opening in the bracket I44 is provided with a bearing sleeve I40 in which there is journalled a shaft I49 upon which the ratchet wheel I40 is fixed. The carrier 46 is rotatively fixed to the front end of the shaft I49 and i insulated therefrom by an insulator bushing I50. Said carrier is made of pressed steel or other electrical conductor material and it has a backwardly turned flange I5I which serves a a slip ring to receive electric energy from a brush I52 carried by an insulator block I53 upon the bracket I44. An opening I54 in the bracket I 44 accommodates an insulation covered conductor I55 which is electrically connected with the brush I52. A plurality of sockets I56 have their threaded side walls (not shown), for receiving the standard screw-threaded portion of the flash bulbs 45, electrically connected with the carrier 46. Insulating disks I51 respectively associated with the sockets I56 carry electrical contacts I58 which are abutted by the end contacts (not shown) of the bulbs 45 when the latter are screwed home in their sockets I56. Near the bottom of the bracket I44 an electrical conductor stud I59 is provided, this stud extending through the bracket and being insulated therefrom by a sleeve I60. Each time the rotatable carrier 46 is advanced one of the contacts I58 will be stationed in registry and in electrical contact with the stud I59 so that upon the closing of an electric circuit including the conductor I55, the brush I-52, the carrier 46, the filament of the bulb 45 in registry with the front wall opening 41, the contact I58 associated with said bulb, the stud I59 and a conductor I6I, said bulb will be energized for emitting light to the subject to be photographed. The just traced circuit, as will be seen in Figs. 4 and 2, includes a switch I62 having a switch actuating member I63 engageable by the stud I25 upon the electromagnet armature I22. The switch actuating member I63 includes an adjustable screw I64 to provide adjustment whereby the stud I25 will close the aforesaid circuit for flashing a bulb 45 coincident with the opening period of the camera shutter.

The roadway switch 43 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 includes the aforesaid bar 44 which is supported upon compressible springs as I10, Fig. 4, substantially flush with the roadway surface. Also associated with the switch bar 44 is a dash pot of any conventional structure indicated generally at "I. Normally the springs I10 will hold the switch bar 44 upwardly whereby witch contacts I12 are open. While the traffic signa1 device is set for stop, that is, with the dial section 25 energized wherefore the distributor arm 88 is engaged with the commutator segment 93, if an approaching vehicle should proceed in violation of the stop signal and thereby depress the switch bar 44, a circuit will be closed from the conductor 91 through conductor I05, brush 86, slip ring 84, distributor arm 88, segment 93, conductor I09, conductor I13, switch contacts I12, solenoid I2I of the electromagnet 42, and conductor I14 to the other side of the energy supply circuit. Consequently the electromagnet 42 would be energized, drawing its armature I22 to the left for operating the camera shuttertripping arm I3I and for shifting the stud I25 into closing relation with the switch I26. Therefore the switch I62 will be closed while the camera shutter is open so that the circuit including the conductors I55 and I6I, Figs. 2 and 4, and the flash bulb 45 in registry with the light tube 41 will be closed and said bulb energized for illuminating the vehicle as it advances beyond the roadway point determined by the position of the bar 44.

While the armature I22 was being drawn to the left, Fig. 2, for tripping the camera shutter and for closing the circuit which energized the flash bulb 45, the arm I38 caused movement of the pawl arm I39 upwardly while the cam surface I45 passed idly along and over the ratchet point P which the spring I 43 causes it to yieldingly engage. A hook portion I46a upon the pawl arm is thus carried upwardly beyond said ratchet point P and drops into hooking relation therewith When the armature I22 reaches the left extremity of its movement. Upon deenergization of the electromagnet, the spring I23 returns said armature to its rightmost limit incident to rotating the shaft I28 and the arm I38 in the direction for drawing the pawl arm I39 downwardly together with the point P which will then come to rest at the position shown as occupied by the point P.

The points P of the ratchet Wheel I40 are equal in number to the number of sockets I56 for the bulbs 45 and are correspondingly spaced about the carrier 46 so that each time the pawl arm I39 is actuated for advancing the ratchet wheel I40 the succeeding socket will be carried into registration with the contact I59, Fig. 2, preparatory to the bulb being lighted pursuant to a succeeding operation of the camera. Overthrow of the carrier 46 beyond the points at which the sockets I56 register with the contact I59 is prevented by a frictional break I6I, Fig. 3, which is spring-pressed against the circular peripheral portion of the carrier.

When the electromagnet 42 is energized the link I34, connected With the shaft I28 through an arm I33, Figs. 2 and 3, will be moved rearwardly or to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 while sliding the slot I35 idly along the pin I36 in the camera reset knob I31. While the link I34 is in this rearward position the camera shutter is operated incident to which the knob I31 will spin counter-clockwise in the conventional manner, the pin I36 meanwhile moving idly backwardly in the slot I35. Later, when the spring I23 returns the armature I122 forwardly, the link I34 will be carried forwardly while the back end of the slot I35 acts upon the pin I36 for rotating the knob I31 to advance the camera film and to re-cock the camera shutter. It will be seen, therefore, that after the taking of each picture the spring I23 in returning the armature I22 to its forward position will cause a fresh bulb I45 to be moved into position for energization pursuant to the taking of a succeeding picture, and the camera reset knob I31 will be rotated for resetting the camera.

In Fig. 4 the mechanical connection between the armature I22 and the switch I26 is indicated by a dot-dash line I15; the mechanical connection between said armature and the ratchet wheel I40 is represented by a dot-dash line I16; the mechanical connection between said armature and the shutter trigger I32 is represented by the dot-dash line I11; and the mechanical connection between said armature and the camera reset knob I31 is represented by the dot-dash line I18.

The siren 48 has a motor section I65 and a cone I66, the former being connected with the housing upper wall 23 in any suitable manner. As will be seen in Fig. 4 the siren is connected in parallel with the electromagnet 42 by conductors I61 and I68 so that upon energization of said electromagnet by a vehicle depressing the switch bar 44 durin energization of the stop section of the signal dial 24, as described above, the siren will be energized to audibly notify the vehicle operator of his trafiic violation.

The dash pot I1I, Fig. 4, will be so regulated that the switch bar 44 will remain downwardly to maintain the contacts I12 closed for a period sufficientl long for the back wheels of a vehicle in continuous movement to pass over the bar after it has been depressed by the front wheels. Thus a single picture will be taken of a vehicle passing over the bar 44 without stopping. Said dash pot may be so regulated that if the bar 44 should be depressed by the front wheels of a vehicle which then stopped with the bar between the front and back wheels, the bar would be returned to the normal upward position prior to a change in the trafiic signal whereby the back wheels would again depress the bar for causing a second picture to be taken when the vehicle proceeded in normal traflic. With the dash pot so regulated a single picture would be taken of a vehicle operated without regard to the stop signal while a second picture would be taken of a vehicle whose operator had stopped after becoming aware of his error.

It will be seen from the circuit diagram in Fig. 4 that the switch bar 44 ma be operated for closing the switch contacts I12 without efiect at times other than when the distributor arm 88 is engaging with the commutator segment 93 so that the vehicles may pass freely over said bar when to do so would not constitute a traffic violation.

In Fig. 5 the roadway switch 43 is shown operable in combination with a traffic signal device I0 both of which are for traffic advancing in the direction of the arrow I in the traffic lane in which a vehicle I8I is shown. There is also shown in dotted outline in Fig. 5, positions A, B and C where switches as 43 would be placed respectively for cooperation with signal devices placed upon roadway intersection corners A, B and C.

I have shown in Fig. 6 a modified form of shield for cooperating with the signal dial 24. This shield which is designated I has a plurality of apertures I86 through which the energized sec tion as 25 of the dial that is being covered thereby can be observed. These openings I86. enable an observer to more easilyascertain the character of the traffic signal that is eiTective when the energized dial section becomes substantially covered.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood. from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes ma be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A traffic signal device comprising an indicator face including a plurality of portions significant of respective traflic conditions, means for successively illuminating said face portions to render them prominent in predetermined sequence, an opaque shield member having an advance edge, means for advancing said shield member, advance edge foremost, across and into light-shielding relation with each of said face portions during its illumination, and indicator light means disposed substantiall coincident with said shield edge and advanceable with said shield member to assist an observer to ascertain the degree to which said face portions are shielded.

2. In a traflic signal device including a visible signal issuing section of substantial area, a shield member adapted for movement into registry with said section to indicate that the signal is no longer effective, and said shield member having a plurality of windows through which said area may be observed to facilitate ascertainment of the character of signal issued by such section.

JOHN F. KEPLER. 

